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3 May – 21 May 2005: Deb Taylor + Penelope Hunt

Gallery 1

Deb Taylor

Through the use of text-based work, both Deb Taylor and Penelope Hunt explore contemporary narratives. The work of these two artists examines the contrasts that exist between the public and private arenas negotiated on a daily basis.

Taylor’s work is based on the barcode and is a game of order and disorder. Through the use of bold colour to render the numbers and strips that make up these codes, the work hovers at the cusp of abstraction. The overlapping, repeating and fragmentation of these elements doesn’t completely obscure their original forms but hints at code or communication gone awry. Amongst this ambiguity a type of order seems possible in the consistent use of square and rectangular formats, which appear as modules that can be moved and replaced. The imposition of order in the installation of the works appears as an attempt at re-coding the jumbled information. The arrangements recall maps or diagrams while the components also frame sections of wall into spaces that play a part in the overall composition.

Penelope Hunt

Hunt’s work is concerned for the individual amidst the clutter. Human-sized scrolls of white paper invite the viewer to contemplate thoughts posed by the use of a single word, statement or question. These meditative pieces talk about states of mind and enquire whether everything is as it should be, but hint that perhaps it’s not. Acting like masks, the scrolls cover a more random and chaotic thought process in which definitions have been written directly onto the wall. These definitions become emotive narratives, which engage in dialogue with the covering paper, only adding to the confusion.

Hunt’s work is almost monotone and withdrawn, contrasting with Taylor’s work, which is bold and vibrant. Whether dealing with the constant bombardment of advertising or retreating into a private world of thoughts, there is much to process on a day to day basis.